Daily TribuneHeArteFino of ArteFino focuses on different matters aside from preserving the culture, the heritage, representing the Filipino artisans and supporting locals. It is also a foundation that advocates projects from purposely recycled wastes in order to expand education, life, culture, sustainability and humanitarian system.
CONTEMPORARY artist-designers Rey Donaire and Leeroy New with co-founder of ArteFino as well as president and executive director of Lopez Group Foundation and Lopez Museum and Library Cedie Lopez-Vargas.
PHOTOGRAPH BY ALVIN KASIBAN FOR THE DAILY TRIBUNE
MARRYING design and sustainability.
The brugera SE.
PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF PROJECT NOVA
ULTRALIGHT pouch
BAGS are made from inflatable kayak wastes, turned into something as good as new.
LEEROY New’s ‘Sacred Heart’ lamp sculptures displayed alongside products created by Filipino artisans at ArteFino 2024.
PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF IG/LEEROY NEW
UPCYCLED bags and pouches.
Turning waste materials into something purposeful, fashionable and new through innovative ways of expressing creativity was featured on the latest episode of PairFect aired on TribuneNOW, with guests Cedie Lopez-Vargas from ArteFino and its advocacy of HeArteFino, the artist Leeroy New and Rey Donaire of Project Nova UpCycled.
Lopez-Vargas, co-founder of ArteFino as well as president and executive director of Lopez Group Foundation and Lopez Museum and Library, said HeArteFino focuses on preserving culture and heritage, representing the Filipino artisans and supporting local talent.
Citing from their website, “HeArteFino Development Program Grant is HeArteFino’s flagship initiative aimed at fostering sustainable livelihoods and preserving Filipino living traditions. This program seeks to empower artisan-entrepreneurs working with communities in the local creative and handicrafts sectors by providing financial support and mentorship on product innovation and marketing.
ArteFino once again opens its grant to interested social enterprises, from 1 August to 7 October 7, after which the selected recipient of the grant will receive P1,000,000 for their proposed design project.
The ArteFino event, which opened on Thursday, 22 August, and ends today, Sunday, highlights the work of Leeroy New, the contemporary visual artist-designer known for his remarkable recycled arts.
His stunning installation that is the central piece of ArteFino this year is something to be seen. His “Sacred Heart Bags,” which made up a capsule collection he collaborated on with Rags2Riches at Presente by ArteFino last year, inspired the group behind ArteFino to let Leeroy New create a statement reflecting the HearteFino advocacy.
For their part, Rey Donaire, the visionary behind Project Nova UpCycled, explained that choosing what is useful from old inflatable kayaks to transform into new pieces has made their creative process quite interesting. Most times, the shape of the raw material influences the look or purpose of the final products, he said.
Producing bike bags made from inflatable kayaks since 2020 and supporting local artisans while achieving zero waste products, Project Nova is made up of tourist guides and tourism industry workers in Bohol.
Find them at the the ongoing ArteFino Fair in Rockwell PowerPlant Mall.
